Grinkov Had Blocked Artery 28-Year-Old Olympic Figure Skating Champion May Have Had “Genetic Predisposition”

He was the picture of health, “except for this one problem.”

For Sergie Grinkov, the one problem was a heart that exploded without warning while he practiced for an ice show with his wife and partner, Ekaterina Gordeeva.

An autopsy showed the two-time Olympic figure skating champion died of a massive heart attack caused by a blocked artery and high blood pressure.

He apparently had another heart attack within 24 hours before he collapsed on Monday, said Dr. Francis Varga, who preformed the preliminary autopsy.

He said there was no indication of steroids or any other form of drug or alcohol abuse.

“He was clearly in very good health except for this one problem,” Varga said. “The entire front half of his heart muscle and a part of the left side of his heart muscle were deprived of oxygen.”

He also noted that “a familial history of coronary artery disease is a factor, and apparently his father did die early of heart disease.”

Grinkov’s father died four years ago in Moscow.

“We do see young people who are physically fit die and have this disease, and it’s probably related to a genetic predisposition,” Varga said.

He said Grinkov’s problem would not have been picked up by a routine exam; only by a stress test.

MEMO: Sergei Grinkov’s first name was misspelled in the text of this story